Post on 21-Jan-2022
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Agenda
• Summary of Final Survey/Pop Ups• Review Final Concept Modifications• Final Document Preview and Committee Review Period• What Happens Next?• Parting Thoughts
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Draft and Final
Report
• Prioritizing actions• Developing
implementation strategies
• Presenting final plan
Co-Creation of Solutions
• Developing and refining strategies to address all the project goals
Community Goal
Setting
• Collecting goals from previous planning efforts
• Refining goals that are specific to West Main
• Establishing existing and future conditions
Awareness
• Introducing project to the community
• Recruiting project ambassadors
Project TimelineNOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL SEP OCT
Project Deliverables1. Public Engagement Plan2. Existing Conditions and Needs Assessment3. Design Alternatives and Recommended Strategies4. Final Vision and Implementation Plan
OUTREACH PHASES
TIMELINE
PHASE FOCUS
AUG NOV
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Summary of Final Survey/Pop Ups• Final pop up took place on 10/23 @ Joy
Gallery• Final survey responses: 360 comments
from 70 participants• Gender: 48% male, 43% female, 8% prefer
not to say• Race: 81% white, 14% Black, 5% other• Relationship to West Main: 25% live there,
35% work there, 39% shop there, 2% worship there
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Themes from Final Survey/Pop Up• Gratitude for a design that will dramatically slow vehicle traffic on West Main• Excitement about wider sidewalks, fully appointed bus stops, and dedicated
space for bikes• Acknowledgement of need for maintenance of new investments• Concern about potential traffic congestion and in-lane bus stops• Desire for education to help the community acclimate to proposed design
elements and promote proper use of features• Hesitancy about unsignalized crossing locations• Different views about parking – some asking for more, some suggesting that
less is needs• Reemphasis of need for additional efforts related to crime prevention, housing
stability, and maintenance in conjunction with these investments
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Review Final Concept Modifications
Global changes• Call out all new crosswalks• Add dimensioned cross section callouts throughout• Note signal strategies at major intersections• Make note of existing bus stopsSpecific changes• Add/relocate bus stop on Genesee• Remove turn lane at King Street, reinstate north-side parking
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Review Final Concept Modifications
Remove turn lane, extend parking on north side here
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Final Concept – By the NumbersExisting Concept
Wal
king
Typical sidewalk width 8 feet 10 feet
# of intersections with crosswalks 7/14 (50%) 13/14 (93%)
Crosswalk distanceMin: 42 feet
Max: 110 feetMin: 22 feetMax: 52 feet
Bik
ing Typical bike lane width 0 feet 5-6.5 feet (plus buffer space)
Typical bus stop width 0 feet (shared with sidewalk) 8 feet wide, 40 feet long
Bus # of bus stops 13 13
Driv
ing # of vehicle travel lanes 4 to 5 2 to 5
# of parking spaces56 full time, 35 no AM parking
91 total93 full time (66% increase)
93 total (2% increase)
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Final Document PreviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgementsExecutive SummaryPart 1: IntroductionPart 2: West Main TodayPart 3: A Vision for West Main
Recommendations: Invisible InfrastructureRecommendations: Built Infrastructure
ClosingAppendix A: Short-term Street Design and ImplementationAppendix B: Community FeedbackAppendix C: Preliminary Traffic Analysis
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Final Document PreviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgementsExecutive SummaryPart 1: IntroductionPart 2: West Main TodayPart 3: A Vision for West Main
Recommendations: Invisible InfrastructureRecommendations: Built Infrastructure
ClosingAppendix A: Short-term Street Design and ImplementationAppendix B: Community FeedbackAppendix C: Preliminary Traffic Analysis
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Final Document Preview: Invisible Infrastructure GOAL: Support sustainable communities and grow community wealthPriority Action 1: Build and Sustain a Coalition for West MainPriority Action 2: Preserve and Expand AffordabilityPriority Action 3: Minimize Vacancies on and Around West MainPriority Action 4: Grow Community WealthPriority Action 5: Expand Access to Healthy and Affordable Food
GOAL: Celebrate and promote history, culture, and legacyPriority Action 6: Showcase Community Pride, Identity, and Culture
GOAL: Improve safety, accessibility, and connectivityPriority Action 7: Maintain a Clean and Functional StreetPriority Action 8: Manage On-street Parking for Varied DemandsPriority Action 9: Confront Perceived and Real Crime
Plan Goals
Priority Actions
Community Feedback
Existing policy context
Policies to explore
Implementation Details
When?
Who?
Where?
Examples in action
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Final Document Preview: Built Infrastructure
Placemaking
Placemaking site types
Community Feedback
Placemaking Strategies
Implementation Details
When?
Who?
Where?
Transportation
Starter Ideas
Community Feedback
Design Recommendations
Explanation of Design Features
Block by block plan view
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Steering Committee Review Period
• Send to Steering Committee week of 11/8• Request comments back to project team by Monday 11/22
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Rethink Communication and Information Accessibility• People are unaware of existing resources and how to access
them. • Explore ways to target information to people that work nights
and weekends, who have limited or no access to the internet, or who do not speak English, etc.
• Bring government and other services directly into the neighborhood and demystify bureaucratic processes
• Test methods on West Main, scale up the effective methods
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Priority Action 1: Build and Sustain a Coalition for West Main• In the short-term, consider expanding the capacity of the
Street Liaison program or establishing a dedicated organizer/team of paid organizers for West Main.
• In the long-term, establish a self-governed coalition (such as a business improvement district (BID), community development organization, etc.) for West Main
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Priority Action 2: Preserve and Expand Affordability• Develop programs targeted toward renters to help preserve
affordability and build new pathways to ownership and homeowner equity.
• Explore “Opportunity to Purchase” policies that would give tenants or qualified non-profit and community organizations the right of first refusal to purchase certain properties when they are put up for sale.
• Explore protections for vulnerable renters and homeowners, such as older adults.
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Priority Action 3: Minimize Vacancies On and Around West Main• Connect budding entrepreneurs that utilize other City resources
(such as the Commissary, technical assistance grants, entrepreneurship trainings, etc.) with information about existing vacant storefronts on West Main.
• Leverage vacant land to support entrepreneurs with low access to capital.
• Explore creative partnerships with community organizations, institutional partners, philanthropic organizations, and local businesses to expand the City’s capacity to activate vacant parcels and storefronts for community use.
• Revisit a “Dollar Home” program to sell vacant or abandoned homes at low costs to residents interested in rehabilitating and occupying the properties.
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Priority Action 4: Grow Community Wealth• Expand awareness of existing programs and resources
through reimagined communication campaigns and visible, direct-to-neighborhood service support.
• Conduct comprehensive engagement with existing business and property owners on West Main to evaluate the appeal, effectiveness, and any barriers of existing available resources.
• Explore financial support programs that provide broader renovation or home improvement support to residents.
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Priority Action 5: Expand Access to Healthy and Affordable Food• Explore additional policy mechanisms to help incentivize
grocery stores to locate within specific areas. • In the short-term, incentivize more small-scale grocers,
convenience stores, and corner stores to stock healthy products.
• Ensure zoning and other regulatory tools support community-based agriculture and local food production.
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Priority Action 6: Showcase Community Pride, Identity, and Culture• Leverage street improvement projects to advance public art
goals by ensuring art installations are included in the budget and scope of services for a future West Main design project.
• Explore options for expanding dedicated public art funding and comprehensive planning.
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Priority Action 7: Maintain a Clean and Functional Street• Establish mechanisms to connect youth, volunteers, and other
neighbors with older adults and disabled people to fill residential snow maintenance or other street maintenance needs.
• Leverage planned development to negotiate funding and program oversight to address major community priorities – such as maintenance – without cost burdening existing small businesses and residents.
• Explore whether existing resources, such as the Rochester Revitalization Fund, could be broadened to provide funding for ongoing operational costs, such as streetscape maintenance, in the short term.
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Priority Action 8: Manage On-street Parking for Varied Demands• Conduct a curbside use study to examine parking behavior and
loading/unloading needs on West Main and on adjacent side streets.
• For new and existing uses on West Main, explore shared parking agreements to meet a wider range of needs with less space.
• Explore paid parking opportunities to better manage curbside space and provide revenue for local initiatives.
• Develop clear standards and procedures for flexible use of on-street parking for seasonal uses such as outdoor seating and public park spaces.
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Priority Action 9: Confront Perceived and Real Crime• Explore additional evidence-based approaches to testing,
measuring, modifying, and scaling crime prevention programs and techniques.
• Establish regularly scheduled programming to create consistent and visible demonstrations of community pride, activity, and care.
• Integrate public safety and business district initiatives to establish a broader range of West Main-specific public safety interventions while expand community control over how initiatives are implemented.
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
District Branding
• Incorporate district branding to build awareness and visibility of local businesses, cultural institutions, sites of interest, and neighborhood events within a walkable distance.
Rochester, NY. Photo credit: Neighborhood of the Arts
Business Association
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Murals
• Incorporate large-scale murals as a short-term, scalable, and low-cost way to highlight a local artist, calm traffic, and inject color into primary intersections or gateway locations.
Memphis, TN. Photo credit: Memphis Medical District
Collaborative
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
490 Underpass
• Activate the 490 underpass with lighting and art to create a more welcoming and distinctive transition between Downtown and West Main.
Lynn, MA. Photo credit: Beyond Walls
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Entrepreneur Marketplaces• •Establish local entrepreneur
marketplaces that offer short-term, lower-cost spaces for business incubation in shipping containers, tents, or other prefabricated structures.
Chicago, IL. Photo credit: Boxville
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Vacant Storefronts• Leverage vacant storefronts
for temporary community uses, such as art displays, pop-up markets, pop-up community service centers, classes, meetings, and more.
Somerville, MA. Photo credit: Culture House
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Play Spaces
• Create pop up play spaces to support joy and community interaction across age groups.
Miami, FL. Photo credit: Kaboom
West Main Street // Rochester, NY
Urban Agriculture• Continue to promote urban
greening and gardening to establish small-scale farming opportunities that can grow skillsets and expand hyper-local access to fresh and healthy food.
Rochester, NY. Photo credit: Grow Green